The present invention is a low insertion and withdrawal force metal stamped female receptacle electrical part.
In the electrical industry, it is necessary to provide parts that function with integrity and sustain their performance with integrity. There are industry standards to define performance. Standards are often set so that they can be certified.
Performance also can be tested and certified by outside organizations such as Underwriters Laboratories. Such standards organizations enable the customer and the public to be able to rely on standard compliance, the purveyor to know that standards are met and that customers can be assured of the integrity of the parts bought to comply with their needs.
Female receptacles for receiving tabs ideally should receive a tab with a low insertion force. The tab should be held with integrity and yet be easily removable. The tab ideally may be removed and reinserted. In such removal and reinsertion there must be integrity. The reinserted tab ideally should have a low insertion force and yet still be held with integrity. A problem with regard to female tab receptacles is that even though insertion and withdrawal of tabs may be satisfactory, reinsertion and withdrawal may cause a degradation of holding integrity.
The prior art interactive detents and declivities may have been effective for holding the tabs and females. They posed the double problem of high insertion and withdrawal force and the problem of rapid wear, reducing the ability of the parts to hold satisfactorily after multiple withdrawals and insertions.
The structure of the various tab receiving female receptacles and tabs of the prior art was complex to manufacture, requiring multiple steps for stamping, cutting out and bending of complex shapes.
The problem is also complex, since in electrical and electronic hardware, many suppliers may supply similar components which must be joined to different suppliers parts, yet integrity must be maintained in the assembled hardware.
A high withdrawal force in the female disconnect is desirable for retention purposes. Large surface contact is desirable for acheiving this.
The present invention fills a need, improving a well known receiving female receptacle such as described above.